Does anyone know how to get a .max file converted to a .obj file, without owning max. Hopefully there is some cheap (free) file conversion program out there.

This has been asked before and it seems (unfortunately) that the answer is that it can't be done; or can't be done cheaply.

(CAUTION: Don't own Max so not sure if this is accurate info) My understanding is that a .max scene file is to a .3ds mesh file as a Poser .pz3 scene file is to a .pp2 prop file. Some mesh conversion apps (such as 3D Exploration or whatever it's called now) can extract some of the meshes from a .max scene file, but not always completely or successfully.

Some max objects are made in a strange way and can`t be converted by any program. Deep exploration is the newer version of 3d exploration and it is very good.

I tried going to righthemisphere.com the home of deep exploration and the site doesn`t seem to be there anymore.

Maybe you misspelled the URL, I just downloaded demos of Deep Paint and several other programs from there a few days ago.

Maybe it is just a temporary glitch, or ( yet another ) internet explorer problem.

From Dodger: No, a Max scene file is not to a 3ds file as a PZ3 is to a PP2, at all. A 3ds file is only a mesh, and by default an editable mesh. A Max scene can contain NURBS, Patch models, Polymeshes, dynamics objects, particle systems, space warps, forces, and so on, and in their true form. A 3ds file is converted to an editable mesh on export. I think Little-Dragon mentioned something that could convert Max to OBJ outside of Max and without Max. Might have been Milkview or something. Ask him.

I think little dragon is female :)

Sorry, but MilkShape doesn't support the .max format. It would be nice, but Discreet would likely squash Mete like an ant if he (or someone else) released a plugin.

You might be recalling the conversion trick I mentioned for gmax, Discreet's free game-content modeler. gmax can export to Quake 3 format, which MilkShape can read and convert to other formats.

Attached Link: http://www.discreet.com

You need max even with deep exploration. There is a 30 day demo of max at discreet's site.

-Mark

Digital Criminals

I think little dragon is female Think again. :)

Try polytrans it works great. I have it along with a plug in called max2obj. I have it somewhere on my computer. It's a freebie. Do a search in yahoo or google. Brad.

Here's a quote from Okino software. (maker of Polytrans): "Please note that it is not possible to import or export .max files directly from inside the NuGraf or PolyTrans stand-alone software itself...The .max file format is not a pure 3D file format (as is the .3ds file format) but rather it contains a "state snapshot" of how the various plug-in modules with 3DS MAX interact with each other to produce the final displayed mesh model...In order to read/write .max files we must run PolyTrans directly inside 3DS MAX itself. This is because we need to have 3DS MAX evaluate its "stack" of plug-in modules that operate on the base mesh. The evaluated output mesh is then sent to PolyTrans." I think this is as good as any explaination of why a MAX file can't be converted without actually having a copy of 3D Studio MAX. -SMT

I think the same is also true of Deep Exploration ... it will not translate Max files unless Max is on the system.

Try asking somebody here to convert it for you. I'm sure you'll find a willing volunteer.

I think that is the second time I thought little dragon was female when he isn`t :/

The anonymity of the 'Net can be both a blessing and a curse, xantor. Don't worry about it. The only folk who truly need to know my gender anyway are lady dragons.